Antishimmy device



Filed Feb. 13, 1939 INVENTOR R. 0. Siva 4972 ATTORNEYS Patented June 4, 194-0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE I 1 ANTISHIMMY DEVICE Roy C. Stoxen, Marengo, Ill.

Application February 13, 1939, Serial N0.256,165 2 Claims. (c1. 280-3355) The present invention relates to antishimmy means especially adapted for use with trailers and similar vehicles.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision of means associated with the steering. means of a trailer chassis and the hitch or towing bar for pulling the same whereby all play and vibration in the front wheel assembly and/or towing bar is reduced. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a means having one end attached to the spindle arm of a trailer chassis and the Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device and illustrating the manner of associating the same with the front axle of .a trailer chassis.

Figure 2 is a detail view with parts in section and illustrating the manner of uniting the attachment with the steering spindle. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the end of the attachment rod.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the device is shown in use with an axle generally designated by the numeral In which is a conventional front axle of a trailer or other vehicle being towed. Each end of the axle Ill is formed with a yoke-shaped connection tween by means of a bolt or the like l3, the ground-engaging wheels, not shown, being supported on arms I4 extending from the spindles I2- A tie rod I5 of conventional form is associated with both spindles to cause the same to 2 turn in unison on their respective spindle bolts l 2.

The means for preventing shimmying of the front Wheels of the trailer or other vehicle being towed, includes a rod l6 preferably disposed on the left side of the trailing vehicle and hitch or towing bar ll, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. The hitch or towing bar i1 is also of conventional form and is of the type including a swivel connection generally designated by the numeral l8 disposed in front of H for receiving a spindle l2 supported therebethe axle ill for permitting up and down motion of said bar as the towing and towed vehicles travel over an uneven surface. Thetowing bar I! is. clamped by any desired means at I!) with the. tie rod i5 and is pivotally connected substantially centrally of the axle It at 20, it being understood that the means l9 permits free movement of the tie rod for steering the wheels of the trailer. By this arrangement the towing bar I! swings about its pivot 20 to actuate the tie rod l5 to cause the front Wheels of the trailer to follow in the direction of the towing vehicle.

The antishimmy rod It has a portion 2| thereof extending parallel with the towing bar I! and substantially centrally thereof curves outwardly at 22, the other end 23 thereof also extending substantially parallel to the towing bar IT. The end 23 of the rod It has welded or otherwise secured thereto an internally threaded nut 24 for engagement with the spindle arm I2. Referring more particularly to Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that the spindle l2 has extending therefrom and integral therewith an ear 25 having a central opening 26 for receiving the steering arm 21 pivoted to the tie rod I5. The arm 21 is formed with a reduced threaded end 28 adapted to be disposed through the opening 26. The rod I6 is connected to the spindle l2 by attaching the internally threaded nut 24 with the reduced end 28 of the arm 21, and by tightening the same, it will be noted that the spindle arm I4, rod I5 and tie rod arm 21 will operate in unison as the front wheels of the trailer are turned through the medium of the towing bar ll.

A coil spring 29 is disposed between the towing bar l1 and the end 2| of the rod I 6 and is supported in openings 30 formed in said members. The spring 29, which is preferably formed of steel or similar material, will provide a tension on the rod IB that will substantially reduce all play or vibration in the front wheel assembly or tow rod, at any rate of speed.

The rod 16 and coil spring 29 will also serve as a safety means in the event that the towing bar I! should become detached from the tie rod I5. Since the rod I6 is disposed on the left side of the trailer, it will. cause a tension which would tend to pull the front wheels of the trailer out of the line of traffic in the event that the towing bar I! and tie rod l5 should become detached.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided a single attachment having a dual function. In addition to reducing allplay or vibration in the front wheel assembly of a trailer, the attachment will also minimize the hazards of accidents 00-- curring when the towing bar becomes detached from the trailing vehicle.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an axle of a trailer having a towing bar' associated 'therewith, spindles carried on each end of said axle, a steering arm associated with each of said spindles, a tie rod pivotally connected to said steering arms, one of said steering armsbeing formed with a reduced threaded end, a vibration reducing rod, said rod being disposed substantially parallel to said towing bar and having one end flexibly atta-ched thereto, the other end of said vibration reducing rod being formed with an internally threaded nut for receiving the reduced threaded end of said steering arm, whereby vibration of the steering means of said trailer is substantially reduced.

2. In combination with an axle of a trailer having a towing lbar associated therewith, spindles carried on each end of said axle, a steering arm associated with each of said spindles, a tie rod pivotally connected to said steering arms, one of said steering arms being formed with a reduced threaded end, a vibration reducing rod, said rod being disposed substantially parallel to said towing rod and being positioned on the side of the trailer of the vehicle adjacent the path of oncoming trafiic, one end of said vibration reducing rod being flexibly attached to said towing bar and the other end thereof being formed with an internally threaded nut for receiving the reduced threaded end of said steering arm, whereby vibration of the steering means of said trailer is substantially reduced.

ROY C. STOXEN. 

